


Stuck

by Unhinged



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Fluff, M/M, modern day AU, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-07-18 06:14:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7302838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unhinged/pseuds/Unhinged
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt fills for the Rhink Summer Fic-a-thon. </p><p>Chapter 1 Prompt: Stuck in an elevator.<br/>Chapter 2 Prompt: The air conditioning is broken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rhett McLaughlin seethed with annoyance as he waited for the elevator to arrive. His boss had dumped a sizeable project on his lap with hardly any time left to prepare before a meeting with a potential new client. Rhett had worked all night doing research, squeezing fresh ideas out of his exhausted brain, and fixing his iron which had decided that the best time to break was when his only clean button up shirt resembled a raisin. The two hours he had scheduled for sleep had been interrupted by a drunk phone call from his ex-boyfriend Brad, begging him to re-consider ending their relationship.

But Rhett had managed all that. He had pushed himself past human endurance, striding forwards with resilience and pride, well on time for the important meeting. Then a small woman had come from behind a corner, travel coffee mug in hand, and gotten tangled in Rhett's long legs. Sartorial disaster with the dark liquid had been averted, but Rhett took a tumble and scraped his palms bloody. Inhuman patience had been required to keep Rhett from snapping at the other participant in the accident. Silently, he shook off the woman's apologies and took a detour to the nearest store for some wet wipes and flesh-coloured plasters. Naturally, the store only had gaudy neon green ones.

When the elevator's metal doors finally slid open, Rhett was ready to charge in and slam his finger on the button that would take him to his desired floor. He was in the middle of accomplishing that goal when he heard someone run across the lobby and yell at him to hold the door. Rhett's bad mood and frustration made him hesitate for a moment, but then he took a better look at the stranger. His dark brown hair was bouncing with the speed of his strides, and a certain familiar urgency pinched his blue eyes. Overcome by a wave of solidarity, Rhett lowered his hand between the doors and kept them from closing.

“Thanks, man!” the stranger panted. Rhett only nodded and hovered his finger beside the number panel, silently asking which floor to choose. When the shorter man showed no sign of taking the hint, Rhett cleared his throat and asked.

“Oh, sorry! Fifteen, same as you I see.”

As far as Rhett was concerned, their conversation was concluded. He ran through the key points of his presentation in his mind again, trying to see if he had forgotten something crucial. As sudden as the project had been, it could turn out to be an important leap up the corporate ladder for him, which was one of the reasons why he couldn't screw up this chance.

“What happened to your hand?” the stranger asked, snapping Rhett out of his thoughts. He turned around to look at the shorter man, hoping his face would convey with firm finality that he wasn't interested in elevator small talk.

“Accident,” was all Rhett said.

“Cool plaster, I have underwear the same colour,” the stranger said. Rhett's left eyebrow reached for his vertically styled hair. All thoughts of offshore sanitation infrastructure were vanished from his mind.

“Sorry! I, uhh, sorry,” the shorter man said, his eyes wide and a faint blush creeping up on his round cheeks. He turned towards the opposite wall and froze. Rhett turned back to face the doors, unsure what to think. Was this person slightly unhinged or just a nervous chatterbox? His demeanour indicated the latter, with the way his shoulders were slumped and he hid his face. He seemed deeply embarrassed, which in turn indicated awareness of having blurted out something inappropriate.

Rhett was prepared to forget the incident and the man and focus on his work again, but the universe was against him that morning. The lights in the elevator flickered and the car came to a halt with a violent jerk, making Rhett lose his balance and smack against the wall.

“What's next?” he shouted in frustration. “I fall to my death just when I was about to get my big break?”

The high-pitched wailing by his side made Rhett momentarily think he had triggered an anti-theft alarm, but then he remembered where he was. As far as he was aware, no one had stolen an operational elevator straight out of the building it was installed in. Or nearly operational.

“Hey hey, calm down, we're not gonna fall and die,” Rhett said and sat on the floor. The dark-haired stranger had fallen on his knees, face in his hands, and was close to hyperventilating.

“These things have safety mechanisms in place, we're perfectly fine. Trust me, I'm an engineer,” Rhett added, trying to keep his voice light and soothing.

“Me... me too,” the shorter man said. He seemed to be coming down from the initial shock. His eyes looked suspiciously moist, but his breathing was even. “Industrial.”

“Civil,” Rhett replied. The stranger smiled at him, brightening the room.

“Oh, the light's are getting stronger again.”

Rhett looked at the four round lamps mounted on the ceiling. He expected the elevator to start rising again as well, but nothing happened.

“Link,” the shorter man said. Rhett's confusion must've shown on his face, for the stranger laughed and pointed at his chest. “My name.”

“Oh! I'm Rhett.” They shook hands and retreated to opposite corners of the small space. Rhett didn't mean to ogle at Link, but there was little else in the elevator to study. The man had a slim body, emphasised by his height. He was no match for Rhett's unusual stature, but he'd hold his own in a crowd. The dark blue jeans he wore clung to his muscular thighs in a way Rhett found hard to resist. He forced his eyes to climb higher on the man, taking in every detail of his black button up shirt. A hint of stubble darkened his cheeks and strong jaw, contrasting beautifully with his blue eyes.

“Should we, like, call someone?” Link asked. He was studying the panel with the buttons on it, looking for an alarm symbol, apparently unaware of Rhett's scrutiny.

“There's the call button,” Rhett pointed. His finger looked huge next to Link's slimmer digits.

“Thanks,” Link said and flashed that smile again. He pressed the button and waited. Nothing happened.

“Uhh,” Link said, starting to gain an air of budding panic again.

Rhett took his phone from his pocket and started dialling the indicated number. As he waited for the call to connect, he could feel his heart picking up the pace as well. The silence seemed to last forever before the sweet melody of beeping began. After an obscenely long wait, someone finally picked up. Rhett explained their predicament and nearly threw the phone against the wall when he was instructed to hold for a moment.

“They're sorting out the situation,” Rhett growled, aiming for comforting but hitting hostile. “Told us not to touch anything.”

“Okay,” Link said. He seemed to be making an effort to keep calm. Rhett appreciated the courtesy.

Rhett's attention was drawn back to the phone. He listened with growing frustration as the person explained the plan of action. Only the manners instilled by his mama from a young age made Rhett remember to thank him as the call ended.

“So looks like we'll be stuck here for two to four hours as they investigate the situation and take corrective measures,” Rhett told Link. The smaller man deflated.

“That long huh?”

“Hope you weren't in a hurry,” Rhett said with as little bitterness as he could manage. Despite all his preparations, he had neglected to bring along any contact information for the people he was supposed to meet. He had several emails' worth of correspondence, but the internet on his phone couldn't connect inside the elevator shaft.

“I was, actually,” Link admitted. “Guess that doesn't matter now.”

“Sure gives you perspective on your priorities when you get stuck inside a little metal box,” Rhett said. He wasn't claustrophobic, but the walls were awfully close together, and the ceiling much too low. He sat on the floor and tried not to think about his career taking a nosedive. Losing this project would not only hurt the company, but jeopardise his own position in it.

“Shit!” Rhett shouted and hit the wall. The metal reverberated for a long time.

“Please don't do that again,” Link asked after the last echo faded.

“Sorry,” Rhett mumbled. His hand hurt, the impact having woken up the sting of his scraped palms. It was almost amusing how he had thought that being late and sporting neon green plasters were his biggest problems.

Link was sat opposite Rhett. He was hugging his knees with both arms and staring at the floor. They stayed in silence for several minutes before the lights started flickering again. Rhett couldn't rouse enough spirit to care, but Link directed his eyes upwards and pressed his mouth into a tight line. Within moments, they were in total darkness.

“Uh, could I, if it's not too weird, maybe, like –“

“What?”

“Could I sit next to you?” Link asked.

Rhett was glad that the lack of illumination covered the incredulity his face was surely broadcasting. He acquiesced to the unexpected request and soon Link was pressed against his side.

“Sorry. You must think I'm a total creep,” Link said, sounding embarrassed.

“Well,” Rhett said. The smile in his voice must've come through, since Link laughed in response.

“I don't like darkness. And there's no tragic sob story behind it, I just don't like it.”

“Fair enough,” Rhett said. He was rather distracted by how warm Link's body felt against his in the confined space. It wasn't unpleasant, he had missed feeling someone so close to him after his last relationship ended. But compared to Brad who had been well padded, Link was all sharp angles and tightly wound muscles. And very fidgety: he sat still for less than half a minute before he changed position, adjusted his glasses, cracked his knuckles and scratched his shin.

“Do you mind?” Rhett asked when the sound of nails dragging against denim filled the small space of the elevator.

“Sorry,” Link said and stopped moving for another half a minute. When Rhett felt him stretch his arms out in front of himself, he grabbed one and set it down between them, fingers trapping the smaller man's hand within.

“You really aren't comfortable, are you?” Rhett asked. He felt Link shrug in response. “Tell me about your work.”

“I specialise in process engineering with a recent side of project management. Most people find it tedious, but suitable for me. Guess I can be a bit obsessed with organisation and details,” Link replied.

Rhett couldn't see the man's face, but his imagination put a self-deprecating smile on it. He got the impression of Link that he didn't take himself too seriously.

“At least you don't work with sewage,” Rhett said and proceeded to swiftly describe his own profession. Their conversation soon turned to their education, both men receiving a bit of a shock when they learned that they shared a background in the South, only two states apart. Life had drawn both to California in search of less rigorous attitudes and better work opportunities.

Rhett kept Link's hand in his, feeling it twitch occasionally. The man seemed to be filled with nervous energy, an opposite to Rhett's more laid back nature. As he kept Link talking and brushed his thumb against the back of his hand in circular motions, he felt him slowly relax. The emotion spread to Rhett as well, helping him let go of his earlier frustration. He had lost the interview long ago, worrying about it now was pointless.

“And I do some song-writing in my free time. I'm atrocious with the guitar, but I can write some pretty funny lyrics,” Link said. After Rhett had pried the floodgates open, the man didn't seem capable of shutting up. Which worked out well for Rhett, he found the soft voice pleasant to listen to, and he appreciated the distraction from their situation, especially pertaining to his bladder.

“I play some guitar,” Rhett confessed. “Some original tunes too.”

“Oh, we should totally – “ Link's suggestion was cut short when the lights came back on. Rhett instinctively let his hand go and sat up straighter. He hadn't even realised how far into Link he had been leaning on.

“Are we moving?” Rhett asked, mainly to say something. He could sense well enough that they weren't going anywhere. Link pulled his phone out to check the time. Judging by the audible sigh he released, they hadn't reached the repair people's earliest estimation yet.

“Still no service,” Link said and jammed his phone back in his pocket with more force than the action required.

“Oh! I have service, if you need to call someone, use my phone,” Rhett said. “Sorry for not offering sooner, where was my brain!”

“Oh no, that's okay. Been an hour already, damage is done,” Link said and smiled. He didn't appear too upset. Rhett hoped he hadn't missed anything important. Like a meeting that could've changed the course of his career. To distract himself from the unproductive thoughts, Rhett focused on Link's smile instead. He was stunningly attractive, now that he saw his face in proper lighting up close. The thick plastic frames of his glasses couldn't hide how vibrant and bright his blue eyes were, and the crooked grin twisting his mouth was as dashing as it was playful. Rhett found it difficult to tear his gaze off him.

The men started talking about their phone service providers and how good their coverage was. Somehow during the conversation, Rhett learned that Link was single, living quite close to him, and eager to get a small dog at some point in his life. From there they ended up on the subject of cannibalism and the situations in which it would be acceptable. Rhett suggested their current one, referring to his rumbling stomach. His rush that morning had denied him the possibility of sitting down with a proper breakfast.

“I'd rather not feel your teeth on my meaty parts,” Link said. The way he grinned and licked his lips, eyes locked on the lower half of Rhett's face suggested he had opposite sentiments.

“What meaty parts, you're all skin and bone,” Rhett protested. “Now my spare tyre, that would provide you with a proper meal.”

“I wouldn't want to destroy perfection,” Link said.

Rhett's eyes widened. He couldn't tell whether Link was teasing him or not. He was about to ask for clarification when the elevator gave a violent lurch. Link yelped and pushed himself against Rhett's side hard enough to hurt.

“It's okay, we're – “ Rhett started, but trailed off when he realised they were moving up.

“They fixed it sooner,” Link noted. His tone seemed to indicate mild disappointment. Rhett silently agreed.

The men stood up and stretched their stiff legs. Within moments they finally reached the fifteenth floor and watched in elation as the metal doors slid open. They stepped outside and paused.

“Well, Link, it was a pleasure to be stuck in an elevator with you,” Rhett said, trying to keep his tone light.

“Likewise,” Link said. He flashed his smile again, crinkling the corners of his eyes.

“See ya,” Rhett said and turned away to find the nearest bathroom. He heard Link walk towards the opposite direction, steps slow and hesitant. Rhett kept going, the goal of finding relief and then contacting their prospective new client to see if he could somehow convince them to reschedule the interview dominating his mind.

As Rhett got out of the bathroom, his momentous stupidity hit him. He had found Link physically attractive and they had hit it off immediately, even under the circumstances, but he had failed to ask for his full name or phone number. And now the man was gone. He had called Rhett's body perfect and Rhett had let him walk away.

“Idiot!” Rhett hissed at himself. With regret slowing his steps, he headed towards where his meeting had been planned to take place. He didn't have the presence of mind to call in advance, he simply barged in through the door and strode towards the reception area. The young woman behind the desk surprised Rhett by telling him that the interview had been put on hold on account of one of their colleagues being delayed.

“He's on his way now, so please, step in,” she said and nodded towards a door at the back of the room. Rhett thanked her and reached for the handle, nervousness twisting his stomach. All his preparation work was long gone from his mind and he walked in with nothing to offer.

A long wooden table with several chairs on each side met Rhett as he stepped past the threshold. An elderly man and a middle-aged woman were seated on one side, laptops open in front of them. Rhett sat down opposite them when told to do so by the woman.

“We heard you had some trouble getting here,” she said, not unkindly. Rhett could only gawk in response. “Security was monitoring you in that elevator.”

“Ah. Thank you for still agreeing to see me,” Rhett said, finding his composure.

“Not a problem. Charles should be here any minute now and then we can start properly,” the woman explained.

As if on cue, the door opened and Rhett turned to look at this Charles who would be part of making the decision regarding his future. His shock was great when he locked eyes with Link.

“Hello, sorry I'm late!” Link said and took his seat opposite Rhett. He kept any surprise he might've felt off his face and calmly opened his laptop. “Let's begin.”

Rhett scrambled for a way to launch into the presentation he had prepared and forgotten, until he met Link's gaze. The blue eyes held a mischievous glint, as if challenging Rhett to impress him. His fighting spirit awakened, Rhett suddenly found it easy to remember all the points he needed to cover in order to land this job, further motivated by the possibility of gaining an intriguing new colleague.

Rhett started talking.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The air conditioning is broken.

The day was hellish. Rhett possessed a pretty good tolerance for high temperatures, but the stuffy, humid, overheated air in the office was nearly more than he could bear. Sweat was constantly pouring down his forehead and his armpits were practically dripping. His only consolation was that everyone else was in the same state too, lessening his guilt for stinking to high heavens. The summer had been merciless thus far, but on the day their air conditioning broke, they realised that things could always get worse.

“Did you finish the calculations yet?” Link asked from the other side of the partition wall separating them. His voice sounded strained, as if each syllable took a toll.

“Not yet,” Rhett admitted. He had been staring at the numbers blankly, not inputting them to the calculation software despite the simpleness of the task. He blamed the heat for having such a devastating effect on his brain activity. Thinking about his new colleague certainly wasn't the reason for his sluggish work that afternoon.

“I'm going home,” Lauren said. Rhett's eyes flicked to the clock hanging on the wall, but he said nothing. He was the new guy, and although technically he was an equal partner, he knew the pecking order. Lauren was the project leader, and Rhett didn't feel secure enough in his position to contest her early departure.

“See you on Monday,” Link said from behind the wall as she walked past. Three steps later she had reached the entrance of their tiny office. No cool breeze stirred the still air as she opened and closed the door, only a whiff of a warm summer whisper from the sea.

“Putting us in this tin can was cruel. Giving us dodgy AC was inhuman,” Rhett complained as he ran his hand through his hair. His usual neat styling had long since given up in the sweat-soaked heat, and strands of soft brown hair flopped around his head.

“At least we're near the work site,” Link said.

“In the ass end of nowhere,” Rhett added. He thought about fanning a sheet of paper in front of his face, but the effort needed to pick one up sounded like too much work. As Rhett sat there and willed himself not to melt, he became aware of silence. Usually he heard the blessed hum of the AC unit or the furious clicking from Link's keyboard, but now there was nothing.

“Still alive?” Rhett asked, only half joking. They didn't have a thermometer in the room, but Rhett reckoned they were nowhere near ideal working temperatures.

“Huh?” Link asked after a moment. Either he was deep in thought or about to collapse from heat exhaustion.

“Nothing,” Rhett said. He rested his cheek on his hand and stared at the cluttered surface of his desk. When a drop of sweat ran down his wrist, he stood up. His shirt was glued to his back and chest.

“I've had enough!” Rhett barked. “It's too hot here!” In one violent movement, he pulled his short-sleeved blue button up shirt over his head and tossed it in the nearest corner. The scene prompted Link to come around the partition wall and stare with wide eyes at the topless man in front of him. Before he could say anything, Rhett crossed his arms over his chest.

“It's just us here and it's too damn hot,” the taller man said, a hint of defensiveness in his tone.

“Okay,” Link said and returned to his side. Rhett spied a familiar shade of pink on his cheeks. Forgetting his own state of undress, he followed the shorter man.

“Aren't you overheated?” Rhett asked. Link was wearing a black t-shirt and a cardigan over it, unbuttoned and sleeves rolled up, but still looking like too much clothing for the brutal summer weather.

“I'm fine,” Link said. A droplet of sweat trickled down the side of his face in defiance of the words.

“Come on, I took my shirt off, no one's gonna judge you here,” Rhett said and smiled. “Besides, we still have a lot to do before we can escape for the weekend.”

“Speak for yourself,” Link said and flashed his lopsided grin at Rhett's direction.

“You would abandon me in this miserable oven?”

“Just finish those calculations.”

“Yes sir!” Rhett threw a mock salute at Link and retreated back to his side of the wall, a smile stretching his bearded cheeks. He lowered his fingers on the keyboard and started typing.

Rhett had a hard time figuring out Link. During the weeks they'd spent together working on the project, his attraction to the man had grown. Rhett had poked the ice with a stick very cautiously, dropping the vaguest hints to see if Link reciprocated his interest, but all he had received so far were mixed signals. One day Link laughed and smiled and touched Rhett on the shoulder for no apparent reason, and the next he was all business and kept his distance. Had Rhett been braver, he would've asked directly or made a move, but the ashamed and confused young man who didn't understand his own deviant desires was still prevalent in Rhett's identity. One day he hoped he would shake the attitudes that had formed him, and stop limiting himself out of fear.

Determined to finish his task and wrap up the week, Rhett forced himself to stop daydreaming and concentrate on work. The world of numbers soon sucked him in and he gave all his remaining energy to his computer. So deep was his immersion that he didn't hear Link get up and move around in the office.

“Here,” Link suddenly said from behind Rhett. The tall man flinched and banged his knee against the underside of his table.

“Sorry,” Link said. Rhett turned to look at him and his annoyance immediately vanished.

“You're an angel,” Rhett said as he took the can of soft drink Link was offering him. The cold metal felt good against Rhett's lips, and the liquid itself like the kiss from a goddess.

“You done with the numbers?” Link asked. Rhett could only nod, unwilling to interrupt his drinking for words. “We can finish the analysis on Monday.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. It's too damn hot to think here, we're not gonna accomplish anything,” Link said. Rhett belatedly noticed that he had removed the cardigan, leaving only the t-shirt which clung to his torso tighter than Rhett had realised. If the lighting had been better, he would've been able to see Link's ribs stretching against the thin material.

“Hot, yes,” Rhett agreed. “Thanks for the drink.”

“No problem,” Link said and disappeared behind his side again. Rhett smiled and saved his work before finally turning off the computer, an action he had wanted to complete all day. As the rumble of the fan died down, Rhett marched across the room, elation speeding his steps.

“Forgot something?” Link asked when his eyes took in the other man. For a moment, Rhett was confused, until he remembered his discarded shirt. Bolstered by his good mood, he paused, hands down by his side, chest boldly out, and grinned.

“Nope,” Rhett said, establishing eye contact with Link. The shorter man didn't turn his gaze, but neither did he make any other movements. Even his expression remained unchanged.

They stayed facing each other, Link sat by his computer, Rhett stood in the middle of the room, with no sounds penetrating the thick air apart from their breathing. As Rhett's confidence was beginning to crumble, Link finally lifted one side of his mouth into a cheeky smile. He lowered his eyes and pushed off his chair.

“Let's get out of here,” Link said. “And put your shirt on.”

Rhett turned around and retrieved the garment. Confusion was battling with hurt in his mind. He could swear he saw Link return the attraction he felt for him, but then he would say harsh things or not react at all to Rhett's veiled tests. Either way, Rhett would wait for definite rejection before he ceased his efforts at finding something deeper than friendship with the man.

“Still need a ride?” Rhett asked on his way towards the door. Link had complained about his car being in the shop that morning, and Rhett had offered to drive him home. Somehow he expected Link to refuse.

“Yes, thank you.”

When they opened the door and the afternoon sun shone in their eyes, Rhett felt a new surge of excitement. It was Friday, he had no responsibilities or engagements for the weekend, and Link was looking particularly beautiful with his dark hair whipping in the warm summer breeze.

“Wanna go grab some drinks?” The words were out of Rhett's mouth before he paused to consider them. He had to know for sure. Colleagues could have friendly after hours drinks, and he wanted a chance to approach his feelings in a neutral location.

“Not really,” Link said. Rhett's heart plummeted towards the faded asphalt. “It's too hot to sit in a crowded bar.”

“Maybe some other time then.”

“You don't have beer in the fridge?” Link asked. Rhett raised his head and turned to look at the shorter man. His brain needed a moment to understand and accept what Link suggested. Both men grinned widely as they headed towards Rhett's car.

The drive was long but uneventful. Rhett spent half the time apologising for his broken air conditioning, while Link spent half the time pretending he wasn't bothered by the warm air blasting in his face. Although running low on just about all vital supplies, Rhett decided not to drive them to a grocery store first, afraid the detour would make Link change his mind and go home. He needn't have worried: when they walked up the stairs to Rhett's comfortably sized condo, Link appeared intrigued and content.

“Excuse the mess, I didn't know I'd be having company today,” Rhett said sheepishly as he let Link inside his home.

“Don't worry about it. I'm sure I've seen worse,” Link replied. As he stepped inside and took in the white-walled living room with all its clutter and furnishings, he only raised his eyebrows but offered no comments. Rhett quickly scanned the area, making sure he hadn't left anything too incriminating in plain sight. Luckily the worst thing he saw was a pair of socks on the floor leading to his bedroom.

“Looks cosy,” Link said.

“Thanks. Have a seat,” Rhett said and indicated the unusually long sofa in the living room. Link made himself comfortable on the dark brown cushions while Rhett hurried to the kitchen to grab a couple of beers and whatever snacks he noticed on the way.

“Should we order some food too? I don't really have anything edible here,” Rhett said. His supply of beer was alarmingly limited, but he had an unopened bottle of _Jack Daniel's_ from his last birthday. He wasn't sure drinking it on an empty stomach would be the best idea.

“Pizza would be good,” Link suggested. He had his favourite place stored in his phone, and was instantly ready to order what he always had. Rhett asked him to order two of those without even asking what it was. He wasn't picky when it came to food, and as the old wisdom said, even bad pizza was good pizza.

“They'll be here in an hour,” Link said after he ended the brief phone call.

“I'm starving already,” Rhett complained, only half-jokingly.

“To the weekend!” Link raised his bottle and clinked it against Rhett's. Both drank deeply, feeling the invigorating effect of the cool liquid almost immediately. Before the silence could stretch, Rhett brought up a dilemma from work they had been struggling with all week. He wasn't overly keen on talking shop during his free time, but it was a safe subject and easy to talk about. As their bottles emptied and Rhett's blissfully operational air conditioning helped them relax, their conversation diverted further from the kinks of designing their portion of a new offshore unit and into deeper waters. Before the expected hour was up, Rhett had visited the fridge twice already to retrieve them fresh bottles.

“And that's how I knew it was a duck and not a chicken,” Link concluded his tale of petting zoo mishaps. Rhett laughed, feeling the mirth explode from his belly as a warm sensation all over his body. He may have sucked down his beers a little bit too swiftly, but he didn't think he was quite tipsy yet. Link also seemed to be in an usually jolly mood, laughing without restraint and regaling Rhett with his embarrassing encounters with the wildlife. Before he could follow a new tangent, the door bell rang. Rhett was up and at the door in less than two seconds. He accepted the two rectangular boxes of steaming goodness and gave a tip that would've made him cry had he paid more attention to which bills he exchanged for his dinner. Grinning from ear to ear, he set the boxes on his wooden sofa table, and they both dug in.

Rhett wolfed down three slices of pizza before Link managed to get through his first one. They paused in their eating only long enough to open the last two bottles of beer and lament their brief lives. After they had eaten, Rhett cleared away the empty boxes and bottles after some not so subtle hints from Link who couldn't look at the mess any longer. With infinite care, Rhett poured them both three fingers' thickness of whisky and they sat back with pleasantly full stomachs.

“You're a great guy,” Link said. Rhett turned to look at him, left eyebrow raised.

“I consider it my duty to feed my guests,” Rhett replied. Link waved his hand impatiently.

“I don't mean just that, although I do appreciate the feeding. I mean, the food,” Link stuttered and paused to take a long swig of the golden brown liquid. “I mean overall. You're a great guy.”

“Thanks man,” Rhett said. “And thank you for choosing me for this project.”

“I didn't choose you alone. Two others.”

“Still, I'm grateful,” Rhett insisted. He followed Link's example and was surprised to find his cup empty. “Another round?”

“Sure.” Link drained the rest of his drink and handed the empty glass to Rhett.

As Rhett retreated to the kitchen, he heard Link stumble towards the bathroom. He screwed the bottle open and hummed a tune to himself while he poured. His lips twisted into a small smile, crinkling the corners of his eyes. He felt warm and more excited than he had in a long while. Link seemed to be in a cheerful mood too, and in no hurry to leave. Rhett had thought he had nothing waiting for him but a quiet Friday night in front of the TV to wind down from a hectic week at work, but now the night held more promise than he dared even think about.

“I have the exact same rug in my bathroom!” Link declared from behind Rhett. The taller man jumped in surprise before laughing.

“Great minds think alike.” He picked up the glasses and handed one to Link.

“Thanks,” Link said and took a long swig. Rhett sipped his with a more moderate pace.

The men returned to the living room and sat on the sofa, closer to each other than they had been before. Rhett was content with the atmosphere and the company, but the one question that had nagged him since meeting Link still wouldn't give him peace. He could admit to himself that he was afraid. If he was reading the other man wrong, he could ruin not only a budding friendship, but also his work environment. He took another sip for fortification.

“What was that song?” Link asked, pulling Rhett out of his musings.

“What song?”

“That you were humming in the kitchen.”

Rhett felt heat rise on his cheeks. He always had something playing in his head, be it a song he'd heard or a tune he'd made, and sometimes he hummed or sang when he was alone at home. It had been a while since he last had an audience in his private space.

“Just something I thought of,” Rhett said.

“I liked it.”

Rhett looked at Link. He was sipping the remainder of his drink slowly, lips hidden behind the glass, but the eyes seemed to have a challenge in them. Suddenly Rhett couldn't take the uncertainty anymore. They were nowhere near as lubricated as he would've preferred for such a direct question, but he had to know.

“Link, do you – “

“Yes.”

“Uhh, yes what?”

“Yes, I'd like to hear you play that guitar,” Link said and pointed at the wooden instrument hanging on the wall next to a battered old keyboard. “The song, play it properly.”

“I haven't really played in a while,” Rhett hedged. He played almost every afternoon, but he didn't want to perform, especially while he had something else on his mind. Link directed his bright blue eyes towards Rhett and blasted through his resistance with one pleading look. Rhett got up to retrieve the guitar.

The first chords came out clumsy. Rhett couldn't blame the alcohol yet, so he conceded he must be nervous. But as he sunk deeper into the music, he loosened up and relaxed into the song. The melody came from within, as it had done when he originally jotted the notes down on paper a couple of weeks ago. He didn't notice when he closed his eyes and started humming. He knew where the words needed to be and what they needed to sound like, but he hadn't written any lyrics yet. He didn't even have a solid idea what the song could be about, only that it wakened a deep yearning in him.

When the synthesiser joined him, Rhett wasn't startled. He hadn't heard Link get up and relocate, but the clear whispers of the keys melded so smoothly into the hum of his strings that it felt organic and right. The unity of the instruments was exactly what the song needed. And when Link's softer voice met Rhett's, shivers ran over his arms. He nearly lost track of the tune when he realised how perfectly in sync they were and how close their minds danced within the melody. He almost feared what would happen if he were to insert words into his humming, how quickly Link would pick up the thread and carry it along with him.

Inevitably, the song came to an end. Rhett allowed the last note to die slowly, fading into the waiting silence of the room. Link was breathing heavily behind him, not from exertion but from something else. Rhett put his guitar down next to the sofa and turned to look at him.

“Ketchup,” Link said.

Rhett could only helplessly stare at the man, his brain still too raw from the intimate moment they had shared to switch moods so suddenly.

“The song should be about the intense yearning for ketchup,” Link clarified. “It's too beautiful to be serious.”

“Okay,” Rhett agreed, although he couldn't quite follow the logic. He jumped on the train anyway and suggested the setting should be two juicy hot dogs and the loneliness of mustard. They shared a good laugh at the inane concept and somehow ended up sitting very close to each other on Rhett's large couch.

“You have beautiful hands,” Rhett said, surprising himself with his directness. His mind was telling him to shut up, to think before he spoke, but the words dropped from his mouth unheeded. Maybe he'd had more to drink than he realised.

“Thanks. I'm crap with the keys, but you should hear me with a recorder,” Link said. His head was leaned back and his eyes nearly closed. He lifted his hands to mimic playing the instrument, and when he dropped them down, his right hand landed on Rhett's knee.

Rhett looked at the long, slender fingers resting on his leg. Even through the coarse material of his jeans, he could feel the warmth of Link's skin. Rhett's body urged him to grab the hand and hold it within his own, but his brain managed to take control this time. Link seemed entirely unbothered by the contact. His eyes were closed and his head tilted towards Rhett.

“You should stay the night,” Rhett suggested. “I've had too much to drink to drive you home, and it's late anyway.”

“I'm not sure that's a good idea. And I'm not drunk,” Link said, voice sounding far away, strongly contradicting his words.

“You're not sober either. Stay.”

“Just tired,” Link said and allowed his head to make contact with Rhett's shoulder.

The weight on him felt good. Rhett didn't consider himself lonely on average. He enjoyed solitude and occasionally needed time away from other people in order to tolerate them again, but on that Friday evening he was more content with Link's warm presence by his side than he would've been on his own. He inconspicuously turned his head and sniffed Link's hair. He needn't have bothered with any caution: the shorter man was sound asleep, face slack and mouth slightly open. A mild scent of shampoo still clung to his hair, even after all the sweating he must've done in their overheated office. Rhett reckoned he smelled revolting, but Link didn't seem to mind.

With a fond smile, Rhett supported Link's head and side with his hands and slid out from under him. As much as he wanted to stay on the sofa all night, he was tired and his temperamental back would punish him for the awkward position later. He laid Link down and removed his glasses, amazed that he didn't wake up to his clumsy handling. After one final look to make sure he was settled, Rhett visited the bathroom and retreated into his bedroom. He was convinced that sleep wouldn't come to him easily, but he was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

What felt like only seconds later, Rhett was startled awake by a sound. It took him a moment to orient himself to reality. The apartment was silent again, but he was convinced that something had woken him up. Torn between wanting to go back to sleep and to investigate the situation just in case, his curiosity won. He was also monstrously thirsty, so he headed to the kitchen to grab some water and to take a look around while he was at it. Only when he saw the bathroom light's dim glow under the door did he remember that he wasn't alone.

Chuckling at his absent-mindedness, Rhett filled a glass with cold water and drank it. As he was heading back to his bedroom, he heard the toilet flush. He decided to wait while Link washed his hands to make sure that all was well with his guest. Link emerged from the bathroom with messy hair and a sleepy expression on his face. Rhett smiled at the sight and asked him if everything was okay.

“Just needed to pee,” Link said. He sounded as out of it as he looked. Rhett wished him a good night and returned to his bedroom. His surprise was great when he noticed Link following him.

“Wasn't the couch comfortable?” Rhett asked. He was standing in front of his bed, wearing nothing but black underpants, uncertain what to do.

“Cold,” was all Link mumbled before he snuggled under Rhett's thick duvet, still fully clothed.

As a gracious host, Rhett only shrugged and sat down on the bed. He didn't really want to sleep on the couch either, and he reasoned that although Link wasn't completely wasted, it would still be better to keep an eye on him.

_Purely for safety_ , Rhett assured himself as he laid down next to Link. The bed was wide enough to easily accommodate two large men, but Rhett scooted as close as he could.

_He said he was cold_ , Rhett reminded himself as he glued his side to Link's. The feel of his body was familiar from their shared elevator experience from a month or so ago. Link was still all bone and muscle, with no softening fat wrapped around his torso. Rhett enjoyed every inch of him.

_One needs comfort in an unfamiliar place_ , Rhett thought as he took Link's hand in his. The warmth was so wonderful that Rhett didn't even feel ashamed of his actions. He floated off to sleep with Link's soft breathing in his ears and the steady thump of his heartbeat against his palm.

He felt grounded, needed, and safe.


	3. Chapter 3

Rhett woke up with the sun. The bright rays penetrated through his closed lids and he scrunched his eyes. His displeasure at waking up so early on a Saturday soon dissipated when he remembered the circumstance of his falling asleep. Even before he visually confirmed it, he felt the living warmth of another person in the bed with him. Link was still fast asleep, curled on his side, facing towards the door and away from Rhett. Rather than feeling rejected, Rhett appreciated the unconscious show of trust. He observed Link's unprotected backside, admiring the view even through the jeans he was still wearing. Rhett thought about undressing the smaller man to make him more comfortable, but quickly reigned in the impulse. They hadn't been fully sober when they climbed into bed, and taking any actions that could be interpreted as advances in the morning light would be questionable at best.

Slightly disappointed but still in a good mood, Rhett left the warmth of their nocturnal cocoon and visited the bathroom. It was early still and he didn't want to wake his guest by creating sounds and scents in the kitchen, so Rhett decided to not make breakfast yet, despite the grumbling of his belly. Instead, he retrieved his phone from the living room and slipped back into bed. He flicked through various social media and news sites before settling down to read a convoluted conspiracy theory that called into question the existence of Finland.

Rhett must've nodded off while reading the article, for the next time he woke up the sun had climbed past his bedroom window and disappeared from view behind the neighbouring building. Mildly disoriented, Rhett plucked his phone from the bed and came face to face with a dishevelled dark-haired man.

“Morning, Link.”

“G'mrn,” Link mumbled, needing a moment longer before his brain caught up with his body in the process of waking up. During Rhett's unplanned nap, Link had rotated towards him and snuggled close to his side. Rhett welcomed the heat of his body, even if it made him a bit warmer than was comfortable. Looking at Link's flushed cheeks, he remembered that the other man was still fully clothed under the blanket.

“Feeling okay?” Rhett asked.

“Head hurts a bit,” Link admitted. “I don't think I drank that much last night. Which brings me to my next question: why am I in your bed?”

Rhett's fingers suddenly lost all their dexterity and he dropped the phone he was holding. A quick glance at Link told him he wasn't accusatory or offended, only perplexed.

“Umm, you woke up in the middle of the night and came here. I was too tired to argue.”

“Okay,” Link said and closed his eyes again. Rhett chuckled to himself. At the office, Link was a powerhouse, always doing something and more or less gently motivating others to constantly do something as well, giving orders and suggestions and weighty hints when people weren't moving fast enough. This lazy reluctance to get up contrasted strongly with the public facet of his personality, and Rhett felt his cheeks heat up when he realised that Link trusted him enough to unleash his private comfortable home self in his presence.

“I'll get you some water,” Rhett said and got to his feet. The floor felt cool against his bare toes as he abandoned the warm nest of blankets. Not bothering with pants yet, Rhett ambled into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. As he returned to the bedroom, he heard the toilet flush. He set the glass down on a night stand and went to his closet to choose a shirt for the day, mildly disappointed at having the slow morning mood disrupted.

Rhett had made no progress when Link returned, hair standing in every direction and with less clothes than he had left the room with. Before Rhett could comment, Link had downed the water and crawled back into bed, snug under the blanket.

“That's better,” Link sighed, and Rhett wondered if he even realised that he wasn't alone. Turning to his shirts again, Rhett was startled when Link spoke.

“Coming back to bed?”

His tone held a question, but also the familiar timbre of command that Rhett was used to. Link wasn't the leader of their project, but he had a tendency to take the reins anyway and expect his colleagues to do his bidding. Since he was efficient and logical, they usually happily obliged. Rhett saw no reason to make an exception now. He felt a smile tug at his lips as he laid down on the still warm mattress. Link rolled closer to him, wearing nothing but his underpants and the tight black t-shirt.

“Do we need to talk?” Rhett couldn't help asking. As much as he enjoyed the morning, his analytical mind wouldn't just accept the situation, he craved understanding too.

“About what?” Link countered.

“This... arrangement.”

“You don't mind, do you? I figured since you invited me to your home, you were telling me something.”

Rhett thought Link had invited himself over, but he ignored the technicality. Apparently they had been on the same page all along, just dancing around the subject to different rhythms.

“I don't mind at all. I just didn't dare assume too much,” Rhett said. Embarrassed by the honesty, he turned to look out through the window, staring blankly at the building opposite his. Most windows showed only rows of blinds, hiding what was behind them. Rhett's eyes fixated on the flickering of a TV screen one storey below him. He recognised that he was giving too much room for fear again, shying away from the opportunity that was smacking him in the face, but something in him kept him from pressing the moment and going further with Link. Years of hiding had left him overly cautious.

The first touch was tentative. Link laid his hand on Rhett's hip bone and let it rest there, not caressing or stroking, instead asking a physical question. Rhett replied by wrapping his fingers around the slightly smaller hand. He expected Link to make the next move, but he seemed content to stay as they were for the moment. In a dash of daring, Rhett unclasped his fingers and laid them on Link's flat stomach. His skin felt pleasantly warm through the layer of cloth separating it from Rhett's touch. A delighted hum came from deep within Link's throat. Licking his lips, Rhett inched his hand lower. Link wiggled his hips in response, seeming to melt into the touch.

Encouraged by the reactions he had received so far, Rhett slipped his hand under the blanket and found the waistband of Link's shorts. Waiting for no further permission, Rhett's fingers dove deeper and wrapped around Link's not unimpressive length. The deliciously unfamiliar texture had Rhett explore every inch with painstaking meticulousness. Link's growls turned more demanding the longer Rhett took.

“Are we going or what?” Link finally asked. Rhett snorted in amusement.

“So impatient,” he said, amazed by his boldness. But he was also merciful and he grabbed Link's member properly, eliciting a surprised yelp. Rhett's hand moved eagerly, almost too swiftly, but Link didn't protest. He made small sounds and arched his back in response to the slightest change of pace or pressure Rhett made. Link's vocal affirmations urged Rhett on, deepening his intensity on the task, feeding on the signs of pleasure he received.

“More,” Link growled. His hand squeezed Rhett's thigh, fingers digging deep into the muscles, hurting enough to convey the non-negotiability of his demand. Rhett was only too happy to obey, and in one swift movement, he pulled the duvet fully away and tossed it on the floor. The sight of Link's slim, exposed hips had Rhett licking his lips. Had he not been so focused on what he was about to do, he would've been satiated just admiring the fine example of male beauty in front of him.

Link pressed Rhett's thigh again, prompting him to action. Rhett leaned lower, bringing his head close to Link's groin. He could almost feel the smaller man vibrate in anticipation. Not delaying any longer, Rhett took Link's full length in his mouth, in one aggressive lunge which made Link gasp audibly and Rhett fight his body's natural rejection reaction. Once he was adjusted, Rhett continued his assault and started sliding his lips along the rigid member, allowing the soft skin on the inside of his mouth to stimulate the man beneath him. Link's gasps turned more vocal the more attention Rhett gave to him. His hands had moved from Rhett's flesh to the mattress of the bed, gouging at the sheets with each pass of Rhett's mouth.

As Link approached climax, his moans turned into screams, encouraging Rhett on. He was loving the reactions Link gave him, feeling his own member swell in response. And when Link yelled and buckled his hips, Rhett grabbed his own cock and moved his hand in rhythm with his mouth. They didn't last long after Rhett's desire and Link's ecstasy merged into a unity of lust and movement and harmony. Only moments later, Link burst into Rhett's mouth, and Rhett spilled himself all over the sheets.

Rolling over to lay beside Link, Rhett swallowed and wiped the remnants of spit and seed from his beard. He was out of breath, overly warm, and happier than he could remember being in a long time. His fingers sought Link's, and were rewarded with a firm grasp. They stayed there side by side, wallowing in the last waves of pleasure and drinking in their closeness.

“That was amazing,” Link finally said. He sounded dazed, but not in a bad way, more like shell-shocked with wonderment. Rhett smiled widely and gave Link's fingers a firm squeeze. The slightly smaller hand felt good in his grip, a natural fit. He wanted to chastise himself for waiting so long before he made the decisive move, but perhaps the slow development had been for the best. He had built up the courage gradually, gotten to know his colleague, established his position, and that had been a solid base to launch his approach from.

“What are you thinking about?” Link asked. Rhett turned to look at him, worried he might see regret in a scrunch of his eyes, but all he read on Link's face was curiosity.

“Just kinda wished we'd done this sooner,” Rhett admitted.

“It was worth waiting for,” Link said and grinned. His good humour was infectious and Rhett felt his mouth turn up into a smile. He rolled over and kissed Link on the lips, very lightly, as if asking for permission to take this step in intimacy. Link reciprocated, aggressively so, and Rhett got acquainted with his tongue. He wrapped his arms around Link's shoulders and pulled him towards his chest. Link's warm fingers found Rhett's back and started to descend slowly along the smooth skin, approaching his bottom. Rhett had lost his underpants sometime during the morning, and he cared not at all. But before Link could proceed any further, Rhett's brain took over.

“So you _were_ waiting for it?” he asked. He lifted himself off Link and looked into the blue eyes.

“Ever since the elevator,” Link admitted. He looked embarrassed, breaking the eye contact and squirming a bit.

“Why didn't you say anything?”

“Why didn't _you_?”

“I guess we're both hopeless,” Rhett said and chuckled. Link joined in the levity, a faint blush spreading on his cheeks. Rhett found the sight irresistible and leaned low again to initiate another kiss. Link was only too eager to continue. He tightened his hold of Rhett's back and pulled the larger man down with him. They lost track of time and space and where their limits were.

The warm morning confined them in each other.


End file.
